


shall i stay, would it be a sin

by kingkaiserin



Category: Succession (TV 2018)
Genre: F/M, Rock Star, and feelings they can't deal with, just two emotionally unavailable weirdos, mole woman
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-22
Updated: 2020-04-22
Packaged: 2021-03-02 01:35:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,729
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23776966
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kingkaiserin/pseuds/kingkaiserin
Summary: Gerri recovers from knee surgery. Roman is Roman.A companion of sorts to "and i can't help falling" but you don't need to read them in order.
Relationships: Gerri Kellman/Roman "Romulus" Roy
Comments: 5
Kudos: 73





	shall i stay, would it be a sin

**Author's Note:**

> I can't stop writing about these two. Succession has made a monster. 
> 
> Also, writing from Gerri's perspective is so, so much easier for me. Obviously I took some liberties here, namely with Gerri's daughters.

If anyone would have asked Gerri even a few days before if she could picture the situation that she now found herself in they would have been met with a not so delicate snorting chuckle and a “fuck off.” Yet, here she was- having just left the hospital 3 days post knee surgery, reclining on her couch trying to work from home with Romulus Roy flitting around her like a really, _really _annoying bird.__

__There were several problems with this from Gerri’s perspective:_ _

__First, Roman had never been in her home. In fact, no one from Waystar Royco had ever been inside her home. Sure, she was hardly ever there but she prided herself on her Central Park West penthouse that she had meticulously chosen with Baird._ _

__Second, how Roman had decided he would be the one to bring her home post-hospital was beyond her. Maybe she could blame the painkillers and lack of sleep. Maybe she could say that it was because her daughters were off living their own lives. Margo was hard at work in DC and Sasha was gallivanting outside of cell service in Bali. And so, even though she had told the staff she’d be heading home alone Roman had been waiting outside. He had been lurking behind a pillar only to step out and exclaim in a faux southern accent “Don’t worry Meemaw, I’ll take you back to the farm. I ain’t lettin’em put you down just yet.” Gerri had almost sprained something rolling her eyes._ _

__Finally, and perhaps the biggest issue Gerri had with Roman being there to “take care of her” was that she didn’t mind. Though it physically pained her to admit, she almost liked having him there. Some part of her warmed when she saw him waiting outside the hospital. So far she hadn’t received any messages or words of concern from her colleagues other than the perfunctory “when will you be able to return” from the HR department._ _

__And yet, emotionally idiotic Roman Roy had helped her in and out of the car with clammy hands and had made her the absolute worst cup of tea she had ever tasted. Gerri wasn’t 100% sure this wasn’t all a ploy to steal her Percocet but only time would tell._ _

__“You don’t need to stay you know, I’m perfectly capable of looking after myself.” She looked up from her laptop watched him rock back and forth. “And if you stay, I’m going to need you to do some work for a change, piglet.”_ _

__To her eternal surprise, he didn’t leave. He plopped down on her parquet floor and took out his phone. Not wanting to risk it by speaking any further, Gerri turned back to her own work. Her inbox had piled up horrifically while she had been away and it needed her full attention. However, she couldn’t help but sneak a glance at Roman. He was laying on his back with his feet resting on her wall and was now spewing enthusiastically on the phone “just make the fucking deal” and “if you think this is getting screwed I better talk to your wife.”_ _

__Though she wasn’t sure if anyone else would think so, Gerri had seen a change in Roman. He was trying for once. She didn’t think she could take full credit but she hoped she had something to do with it. Their relationship, if you could call it that, was still beyond definition to her but she couldn’t deny he had become her ally, her teammate, and maybe even more._ _

__A few hours later Gerri’s eyes were burning and the sun was beginning to set. She took off her glasses to rub her eyes and when she put them back on Roman was perched on the edge of the couch, staring at her._ _

__“Jesus, Rome. You have to stop staring at me like that.” She shifted and tried to stand. She winced when her left leg touched the floor, it had to be almost time for her pain meds. Before she could say anything Roman was back with the pill bottle and a glass of water. To say she was shocked would be an understatement._ _

__“How is it that you can be so utter horseshit at your job and yet you are managing to be thoughtful right now?” Her words were sharp but the tone was ultimately playful as she accepted the proffered items. She knocked back a few of the pills and waited for the effect._ _

__Roman had clearly begun to get uncomfortable again. He shifted from foot to foot and wrung his hands. “I don’t know Ger, maybe I just don’t want to see you croak before I can get my claws into that Kellman will.” He barked an awkward laugh and looked up at her from the greasy piece of hair that had fallen over his eyes._ _

__“If you are imagining that even in death I’d let anyone know that I tolerated your freakish existence you really are farther gone than I thought.” The glint in her eyes matched his as his tongue darted out to wet his lips and she watched his hand drift down to adjust the front of his pants. “You’re really going to have to take care of yourself tonight, little man, because I am so exhausted that the thought of you and your little dick are making me queasy.”_ _

__“Is that permission then, oh Mistress mine?” For what felt like the hundredth time that day, Gerri rolled her eyes then gestured toward the hall. “Second door on the right, guest bathroom. No other exploration there, Christopher Columbus. I need to keep your pox to minimal spaces.” Roman moved toward the hall in what could only be described as scurrying. On his way past her he did something so out of character that Gerri didn’t process it until after the fact. He stopped just in front of her and placed his hand on her cheek. It was momentary and over before she could react but she knew what it meant. It meant “I’m here.” And as she heard the bathroom door close Gerri let out a breath she didn’t know she had been holding._ _

__They were rapidly approaching the danger zone. They had never talked about what they were to each other, because neither of them had the words to define it. But with each passing day the line of “professional” was further and further behind them. Gerri tried not to think of him as the boy she’d known since birth and the man in front of her seemed someone different altogether. He infuriated her, made her question her own sanity, and yet, he was the first one she thought to call in good times and bad._ _

__Gerri’s eyes drifted closed as she let her mind wander back to his half hearted proposal in before all the shit hit the fan and wondered what would have happened if she had responded differently. Would he have backed off so quickly? “Jesus, these drugs are stronger than I thought” she quipped as she pushed those thoughts aside._ _

__She heard the water running in the bathroom and before long Roman emerged with a cat that caught the canary grin and something in his hands. By the time he was in front of her again his hands were empty and his grin was bigger. She quirked an eyebrow at him and he made a grand gesture of showing her his empty hands. “A lovely bathroom you have, Gerri, though I’d give your cleaning lady a heads up before she goes in.”_ _

__“You’re disgusting, Roman. Revolting.” He made a mock bow and thanked a non existent crowd. Gerri tried to push herself to her feet. “I need to go to bed Roman, I’m going to try and go in to the office tomorrow.”_ _

__She made it most of the way up before stumbling. She braced for impact but the fall never came. Opening her eyes she saw Roman, right there in front of her and felt his arm around her waist. Their faces were inches apart and they were both acutely aware this was physically the closest they had ever been._ _

__Gerri pretended that she wasn’t noticing the hitch in her own breath or just how dilated Roman’s pupils had become. For a beat too long they stayed wrapped up in the moment and each other. Enjoying the closeness but also knowing they weren’t ready to move forward. Equal to the hesitancy, the promise of what could come surged in both of them. A smile crossed Roman’s face. A real smile- one that Gerri had come to know as something separate from the wolfish smirk he saved for others but one that somewhere past acknowledgement she hoped was just for her. And she couldn’t help but match it for an instant before she pushed him away and started the ruse anew._ _

__“Before you even ask- no I do not need your help in or anywhere near my bedroom or with anything else relating to my physical person.” Roman raised his hands in mock defeat and let Gerri limp slowly out of the living room._ _

__Without turning back to face him (because it was too hard on her knee, of course, not because she couldn’t say it to his face) she managed to speak again. “I’m glad I wasn’t alone today, Rome. Thank you.”_ _

__“Yea, yea, yea I’m your little bitch nurse boy and I’ll be here at 7 so we can go to the office.” Grateful he didn’t make it anymore awkward than it already was Gerri continued toward her bedroom. She heard the front door close as Roman took his leave._ _

__He showed up at 7:45 the next morning and let Gerri berate him for his punctuality the whole car ride in to the office._ _

__It took Gerri nearly 4 days to notice it. In the hallway just past the bathroom she had a set of family photos. One of the smaller frames held a photo of her, some 20-odd years earlier, on the beach. She looked happy and was gazing off camera as one of her daughters played in the sand. It had always been one of her favorites. Now that frame was conspicuously empty and hung crookedly on the wall. “Bastard” she whispered as she righted the empty frame and smiled._ _


End file.
